The Executor Kit: An Executor Checklist and Forms
Organizers for the practical tasks after a death, so less has to be remembered.
Eight files for the person handling the affairs of someone who has died: a first-week checklist, who to notify, an estate task tracker, an assets and debts register, accounts to close, letters, an expense log and a document locator.
$39
8 files · instant download · US Letter · refunds within 14 days
In the UK? See the UK edition (°C, A4, £)
What’s inside
EX-01/01First Week After a Death ChecklistFree to try
What usually needs doing in the first days after someone dies, in a sensible order, on one printable page.
- PDF · Letter
EX-01/02Who to Notify When Someone DiesFree to try
A list of the organizations that usually need to be told, with a record of each call: date, reference number and next step.
- PDF · Letter
- Excel
- Works in Google Sheets
EX-01/03Estate Task Tracker
The steps of settling an estate in order, with an owner, status and due date for each, and overall progress. Easy to share with family.
- Excel
- Works in Google Sheets
EX-01/04Estate Inventory: Assets and Debts Register
Everything the person owned and owed, with values at the date of death, how each was held, and totals worked out.
- Excel
- Works in Google Sheets
EX-01/05Accounts and Subscriptions to Close
Subscriptions, memberships and online accounts to cancel or transfer, with the monthly cost of whatever is still running.
- Excel
- Works in Google Sheets
EX-01/06Death Notification Letters
Five editable letters to tell a bank, a utility, a pension plan, the credit bureaus and a landlord about a death.
- Word
EX-01/07Executor Expense and Reimbursement Log
Every cost of settling the estate, who paid it, and how much is still owed back to anyone who paid from their own money.
- Excel
- Works in Google Sheets
EX-01/08Important Documents Locator
A two-page list of the papers an executor usually needs, with space to note where each one is and mark it found.
- PDF · Letter
Why it’s built like this
After a death, the practical tasks arrive all at once and at the worst possible time: phone calls, forms, accounts, letters, and questions from family about who is doing what. This kit does not tell you what to decide. It gives you a place to write things down, so that you are not carrying every reference number and half-finished task in your head.
The files follow the order things usually happen. The first-week checklist and the who-to-notify list cover the early days. The task tracker, the assets and debts register and the expense log help with settling the estate over the months that follow, and the spreadsheets can be shared with family in Google Sheets so everyone sees the same list. The letters and the document locator save time on the parts that repeat.
You can start with whichever file fits the moment. In the first days, most people only need the checklist and the notify list, a pen and a phone. The document locator helps when you are searching drawers for a policy number. The expense log is worth starting early, because receipts from the first weeks are the easiest to lose. The assets and debts register and the task tracker matter most once an executor has been appointed and the estate itself is being settled.
Estates are handled under state law, and every state is different. Where the files mention a rule, they name the official source, such as the Social Security Administration or the IRS. They are organizers, not legal or tax advice. If the estate is large, complicated or disputed, a probate attorney can help, and these records will make that conversation shorter.
Who it’s for
- Executors named in a will
- Family members handling things when there is no will
- Anyone helping a parent or partner through the paperwork after a death
Try two files free
Two of the 8 files are free. Enter an email address on either page and the file arrives in your inbox. You can use them on their own; the rest of the kit is there if you need it.
- First Week After a Death Checklist (PDF)
- Who to Notify When Someone Dies (PDF, XLSX)
How delivery works
- Pay on the secure checkout page. It is run by Link, Stripe’s payment service, so your statement shows LINK.COM.
- You come straight back here, and a download link arrives by email within a minute. It works for 30 days, and you can get a new one from the help page at any time.
- The download is one zip file: US Letter PDFs to print, Excel files that also open in Google Sheets and LibreOffice, Word documents with the blanks highlighted, a README and the license.
Guides
Questions
- Do I need a lawyer to be an executor?
- Not always. Many small estates are handled by family members, and some states have simpler procedures for them. If there is real estate, a business, a dispute or tax to pay, talking to a probate attorney is often worth it. This kit helps you keep the information they will ask for in one place.
- Can several family members use the files together?
- Yes. The spreadsheets open in Google Sheets, where you can share them so everyone sees the same, up-to-date list. The task tracker has an Owner column so it is clear who is handling each task.
- What if there is no will?
- Someone still has to handle the estate. When there is no will, the probate court usually appoints a person, often called an administrator, and state law decides who can be appointed and how the estate is shared. The files work the same way for an administrator as for an executor.
- Do I have to pay their debts myself?
- Generally no. The CFPB explains that debts are usually paid from what the person left behind, and family members are not responsible unless they shared the debt, for example as a co-signer or joint account holder. The debts tab of the register helps you see what is owed before anything is paid.
- Should I wait until probate starts before using these files?
- No. Nothing in the kit depends on probate. The first-week checklist, the notify list, the document locator and the expense log are useful from the first day, and the records you keep early make the later steps easier for whoever is appointed.
- Is this legal or tax advice?
- No. The files are organizers. Where they mention a rule, such as a tax form, they link to the official source. Rules for estates are set by each state, so check with the probate court in the county where the person lived.
- What format are the files, and how do I get them?
- One zip file, available straight after checkout, with a download link by email as well. Inside are Letter-size PDFs to print, Excel files that also open in Google Sheets, Word letters with the details to fill in highlighted, a README and the license.
- What if it is not what I needed?
- Email us within 14 days of buying and we will refund you in full. You do not need to give a reason.
Refunds
If the kit isn’t what you needed, email us within 14 days of buying and we’ll refund you in full. No form, no questions. Details are on the help page.
Last reviewed: September 29, 2026 · Sources named on each file · Not legal or professional advice